Friends of Flood Park is recruiting volunteers to participate in a work day on September 24 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at historic Flood Park, located at 215 Bay Road in Menlo Park. To volunteer for painting, pruning and other park improvement projects, please email [email protected]. We have a 50 person limit so please register in advance!

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has granted a temporary reprieve to the shuttered Park, which was slated to be closed indefinitely due to county budget woes. San Mateo County Supervisors reversed course this summer and announced a six-month temporary reopening of Flood Park — slated for November 1, 2011 — while they examine their long-term plan for all county parks.

Friends of Flood Park, a special project fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation, is hosting this work day in conjunction with the San Mateo County Parks Department in order to spruce up the Park before its reopening. The park has been fenced in and shut this year to accommodate heavy equipment, trucks and pipes required by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission pipeline replacement project near Bay Road. Repaving of Flood Park’s parking lot is scheduled to take place by the end of September.

The temporary reopening of Flood Park in November for six months is a victory for local grass roots efforts. The new organization, Friends of Flood Park, grew out of this grass roots effort and a desire to see that Flood Park remains open for local families beyond the current six month reprieve provided by the county.

Friends of Flood Park’s mission is to generate funding and support for projects and programs that enhance enjoyment of the Flood Park and to protect the park from the governmental budget woes that are spreading through California and effecting our kids both at school and at play.